Splicing thread and yarn



Oct. 13, 1942; w. M. CAMP 2,298,675

SPLICING THREAD AND YARN Filed Feb. 26, 1940 INVENTOR;

Wf/Uam M. 6001 0 I A ORNEYS Patented Oct. 13, 1942 r I OFFICE SPLICINGTHREAD AND YARN William M. Camp, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor to TheClark Thread Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication February 26, 1940, Serial No. 320,756

- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved method of splicing threadand yarn and to the product resulting from the practice of the method.In the prior art of splicing yarn and thread, gums and resins in adissolved state have been applied directly to the threads by the fingersand the twoends rolled together. This leaves a bulky splice as there isno compression of the ends and also the fingers of the operator becomestuck up with the cement used and therefore decreasing the efilciency ofthe operator. Splicings made in this way are not uniform in strengthbecause of the varying pressure and amount of cement applied by theoperator. Also where splicings are made normally with gums or liquidcements, the splicings are bound to be soiled through coming in contactwith the fingers. In the present invention these deficiencies areovercome by a new splicing method which will be better understood fromthe following description and the annexed drawing, in which I have shownone manner in which the invention may be practiced, and in that drawing:

Fig. l is a view illustrating the first step of the method;

Fig. 2 is aview taken at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the completed splice.

I shall assume that the splice is to be formed with ends of cottonthread or yarn which, for the sake of convenience, Ishall hereinafterrefer to as thread. In forming the splice, I lay two ends I and 2 ofthread adjacent each other and preferably overlapping, as best shown inFig. 1.

Then I lay in contact with the ends i and 2 a length of splicing thread3.

The splicing thread is of a special composition. Preferably, it is madepartly of the same composition as the ends which are to be splice-dtogether and partly of some material which will act to cement togetherthe ends. For the sake of convenience I shall refer to this material ascementitious material, although any material which will act to cause theends to be held together may be used. The action may not be a cementingaction in the strict sense of the term but nevertheless I shall use theabove expression for the sake of convenience.

The splicing thread is preferably of a length slightly greater than theamount vof overlap of the two ends I and 2, as plainly shown in Figs.

1 and 2. .For example, if the overlap of the ends is about an inch, thenthe length of the splicing thread maybe 1% inches. The object of havingto be spliced is that the non-cementitious fibers similar to the fibersin the yarn to be spliced form an overlapping medium to cover up the cutends of the thread being spliced and therefore make a smoother splice oneach end. Also these noncementitious fibers contained in the splicingyarn help to cause the cementitious material to flow evenly into theends to be spliced.

The materials selected for the splicing thread should be of such anature that it can be readily pressed to a size smaller than its normaldiameter. For example, 'I may make the splicing thread out of of cottonfibers and 75% of cellulose acetate fibers. Then after the parts arelaid together as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, pressure is applied to the jointat the same time as a solvent is applied thereto. Thus the celluloseacetate will be dissolved and will flow freely through the ends I and 2and, since pressure is being applied. the cotton fibers of the splicingthread will be thoroughly combined and intermingled with the either oneof the ends.

fibers of the two ends and the result'will be a splice of some suchappearance as shown in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that theoverlapping parts of the two endshave been compressed until the overlapis approximately the same diameter as The outline shown by broken linesin Fig. 4 indicates the approximate space which will be occupied by theremains of the splicing thread. v

Instead of cellulose acetate, the splicing thread may be made in part ofany other fibrous material, which is capable of being dissolved by asolvent or melted by the application of heat, which would turn it into acementitious material. Such materials are Vinyon, ethers and esters ofcellulose, derivatives of polymerized acrylic acid,- etc. The materialsreferred to in the foregoing may be treated with a solvent alone or heatalone to cause them to become effective as a binder or it may bepreferable to use both solvent and heat the splicing thread longer thanthe two ends to get the secure binding qualities necessary in a splicemade in yarn or thread. Noncementitious fibers would be those whichcould be combined with other fibers and not be dissolved by the solventor heat treatment applied .to dissolved or liquify, cementitious fibersused. When such materials are used in the splicing thread, pressure willbe applied as before, using either a solvent or heat. or both.

I claim: i

l. A method of splicing the ends of cotton thread which comprisesoverlapping to a predetermined extent the two ends to be spliced, thusdetermining the length of overlap, placing in contact with the saidoverlapped ends a composite splicing thread having a length at leastapproximately equal to the length of overlap, said composite splicingthread being normally non-adhesive and containing a potentially adhesivecomponent which develops adhesiveness only upon the application of anagency selected from the group consisting of melting and dissolvingagencies, the balance oi the sp'licing thread being composed of cottonfibers, applying to the splicing thread said adhesion-developing agencyand thereby rendering the same adhesive, and intermingling the splicingthread with the said ends by the application of pressure whereby thecotton fibers of the said ends and the cotton fibers of the splicingthread become united by the said adhesive.

2. A method of splicing the ends of thread which comprises overlappingto a predetermined extent the two ends to be spliced, thus determiningthe length of overlap, placing in contact with the said overlapped endsa splicing thread having a length at least approximately equal to thelength of overlap, said splicing thread being normally non-adhesive andcontaining a potentially adhesive component which develops adhesivenessonly upon the application of an agency selected from the groupconsisting of melting and dissolving agencies, the balance ofthesplicing thread being composed of non-adhesive fibers which are notsoluble or fusible, applying to the splicing thread saidadhesion-developing agency and thereby rendering the same adhesive, andintermingling the splicing thread with the said ends by the applicationof pressure whereby the fibers of the said ends of thread and the fibersof the splicing thread become united by the said adhesive.

WILLIAM M. CAIVHP.

